Requiem For A Local Textile Mill

I was saddened to learn that the Warren Mill in Stafford Springs would soon be closing up shop. Some of the finest fabrics in the world were manufactured in this plant.

The Warren was slated to go out of business in 1988. Then the Italian firm of Loro Piana, noted for its top-brand garments, purchased the mill. The foreign firm changed the working culture at the mill and made an enormous investment in modernizing the facilities. Operations continued; the skilled labor force was maintained; paychecks went to support families; and taxes were contributed to the state and local community.

The closing has a special impact on me. From time to time, I teach a course called "Introduction to Textile Science." Part of the course deals with the steps that convert fibers into a finished fabric. It is one thing to read about these steps in a textbook and quite another to see these operations up close. Through the kindness of the Warren Corp., my class would spend two afternoons at the mill with the expert staff. The first afternoon would be spent observing the conversion of fibers into woven fabrics; and the second on the dyeing and finishing operations.

From modest beginnings with the Slater Mill in Pawtucket, R.I., the textile industry changed from a cottage industry to a mechanized manufacturing one and grew to dominate the life and economy in much of New England. Mills were initially built along the rivers for the water power to run the machines and also, sadly, as repositories for the unwanted waste. The golden age of New England textiles coincided with the worldwide Industrial Revolution from the mid-19th century to the first third of the 20th century. Mills were built to fabricate cotton and woolen goods, primarily. Among the institutions of higher education promoting science and technology during this period were textile institutes.

Thousands of immigrants from Europe and eastern Canada came to New England to work in the textile mills in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The serendipitous discovery of mauve in the mid-19th century was to have an enormous impact on fabric dyeing with an almost complete transformation from natural to synthetic dyes. The first part of the 20th century saw the introduction of regenerated natural fibers such as rayons and synthetic fibers such as nylons. It was indeed a robust period of full employment and the creation of much wealth for this region.

This euphoria was all to change, however, for New England. The country was hit with the Great Depression in the 1930s. During this period, bitter disagreements between labor unions representing workers and the mill owners went unresolved.

The creation of the industrial humidifier and less expensive operating costs in Southern states didn't help. Mills began to close in New England and shift operations to the South, where the cotton was grown.

By the mid-20th century, most of the textile operations in this region ceased. Today, the only reminder of this once glorious past are the brick and stone structures in many cities and towns that once hummed with activity. They stand as silent sentinels of an industry that once dominated the culture and economy of the region.

No death knell needs to peal for the textile industry at large. Given industrial and commercial needs, it probably continues to be the second largest industry in the U.S. after the food industry. If a requiem is to be sung, it is for the Warren Mill, with the loss of the skilled workforce, the loss of revenue for local businesses that benefited from it, for its contributions to the tax base and, yes, for my students, who will lose an important and rich educational experience.

There will always be individuals who appreciate and are willing to pay for the very highest quality fabrics. The only difference is that they will not be made in Stafford Springs. Yes, very sad indeed.